Megabirb
Member
YSS Kaiyō II
Captain's Quarters
25日1月YE 47
The captain quarters of the YSS Kaiyō II had an entrance at the back of the bridge. So, the three members of infantry that had been called to her office passed through an often unseen-to-them section of the ship to reach Hoshi. The away team had recently been on Nepleslia and before the first shore leave of the year commenced, Hoshi had wanted to speak to them about their careers. The premise for the meeting was not overstated, but did carry some weight.
And, so, as she waited for their arrivals, Hoshi set about touching up her personal effects. Leveling the oil portrait of the dark-haired broody SAINT operative above her desk, polishing a smudge on her brass nautical compass, and angled the anatomical statue so that it faced her guests instead of herself. All this was happening while one of the ships many Jane robots made her bed in the room behind her.
It'd been some time since Molli was called to meet with the captain, and her memories of those experiences were a mixed bag. Between calming outer space excursions to the hull of the Kaiyo, to arguing in vain for a less violent way to end the war, Molli couldn't anticipate what kind of experience she'd have in Hoshi's quarters this time. At the very least, having Sif and Rio accompany her was a change of pace and a sieve for the nerves. She walked with them in her off-duty best: the dress jacket, skirt, and tights she'd freshly laundered the other day for such an occasion.
There had been only a scant few days since the mission on Nepleslia and Rio had repeatedly gone over the entire wild ride since. Ultimately she felt she could have performed better during the mission. When she received a summons to the captain's quarters regarding her career Rio couldn't help but wonder if it was in regards to her self-perceived poor performance. Alongside Molli and Sif as the trio made their way to the meeting, Rio repeatedly checked her uniform, trying to sooth the pit that had formed in her stomach.
For Sif, being called to meet with Hoshi was a cause of mild anxiety. Often times, at least from what she's read, that almost always meant trouble. Was her performance not satisfactory? Maybe she'd done something that would have caused a 'black mark' on her record? Whatever the case may have been, the presence of Molli and Rio did have a calming effect as they walked to Hoshi's office. Like most days on the ship, Sif wore her Type 30C turtleneck, paired with pants instead of the skirt and tights combo. It was a comfortable outfit despite being a uniform.
"Afternoon," Hoshi said to the three after she had stood. "All of you look nice–presentable. Which leads into why I asked you here, honestly."
"You're all fine examples of Star Army soldiers, truly. You've been in it for a year or two years," she looked from Rio to Sif to Molli. "I've never seen a better bunch walking the halls of my ships. I've been a white panel on Plumeria, Sharie, and special op teams, girls. I'm serious when I give you that compliment. I appreciate that you've been exceptional in ways words could never do justice."
She then added with a continued weight to her tone, "You've exceeded not only my expectations, but your panels. You may choose to keep cornflower blue panels, sure. Infantry is a fine place for many, but I see potential in all of you for more. What career paths beyond infantry have you individually considered?"
"I've... never really thought about it," Sif answered after a slightly long exhale from a breath she unknowingly held. She went through her memories, having been taught by a senior when she was still in training on what the panel colors mean on someone's uniform. "I don't really see myself doing anything else. And for sure you wouldn't want me to be a combat medic if you've seen my training evaluations." She gave an embarrassed chuckle at what she had just admitted.
"Sif-san," Hoshi said, "you're one of our bravest fighters. A true-to-life valkyrie warrior that can tank any enemy, capturing their attention no matter the circumstances. That ought to be highlighted somehow rather than diminished."
"Prolly aced th'get close'n smack fools wiv ah shield 'valueayshon," Molli chimed in, chortling. Her demeanor loosened up significantly after Hoshi's glowing evaluation, but her smile was thin, measured, and her eyes wandered more to Sif and Rio than the captain who expected an answer. "Could prolly put Rio'n th'whatever trainin' Sif took. Get..." Molli bumped her fists together, "...two shieldmaidens."
"I-I don't think I would be well suited for that." Rio remarked while glancing over at Molli. The pit in her stomach had mostly vanished, Rio feeling a little more sure of herself after now that her fears of poor performance had been dashed by Hoshi's praise. Quickly thinking back on her nearly full year onboard the Kaiyō, Rio realized it had mostly been a series of infiltration operations. "Actually. If possible Taisa I would like to pursue a career in Star Army Intelligence."
"That...That could be just right for you," Hoshi said deliberately. Then in a quicker clip, she asked, "Is this inspired by any specific mission?" There had been a few undercover missions as of late and the ship often was a part of aforementioned secret operations.
"Our mission a few days ago on Nepleslia. We accomplished our objective but Aiko-Chusa was poisoned and the entire thing felt like a setup. I...feel like something was missed." Rio said sternly. The mission had clearly been sitting on her mind.
"Ah ken see ya as ah spy. Yer blue, so y'blend in ta'th'night, so noone ken see ya," said Molli, nodding at what she perceived as impeccable logic.
"Intelligence, huh?" Sif hummed to herself, hand drawn to her chin as she recalled what she knew of that career path, which was admittedly lacking. "That means you'd get to do the interrogations and likely be the first one in to scope out our mission areas, right? Planting seeds and manipulating the cogs to tip the scales to our favor! That would be so cool! You'd get first dibs on top-secret gadgets too!"
Rio couldn't help but crack a smile hearing Molli and Sif's words. "I suppose that's all probably true. Like in the NMX base. Faelan-Shoi and the operative that assisted us. I'm sure there is much more to it though." she mused.
"It sounds like what you're describing, Rio-san, is what an analyst would do. Looking at the mission specifics and seeing the unknowns within it. More precisely, interpreting the data presented by those that found it and coming to conclusions. Or do you not have a preference between analyst and operative?" Hoshi asked. "I will be honest, what you cornflower panels on the Kaiyo is not highly different from what happens on many black panel missions. But you don't have bombs in your brains. There is a reason you were the NMX Neko Sahty Rynire, not a SAINT operative."
With a furrowed brow Rio thought over Hoshi's words carefully before giving her a quizzical look. Having a bomb in her head was one thing, but she understood death could easily happen in service. Her experience in the NMX base burned that fact into her mind. What bothered her was what the Taisa had said last. A thought that had not occurred to her "Th-there was?"
"Was it the lack of bombs in our brains?" Sif asked, half jokingly. "That's something no one's told me before. I'd say it's a bit extreme, but with how STs work, it probably wouldn't be too hard to copy brain data if you got the tools..."
"Because you're on the Kaiyo, you got that mission." Hoshi said succinctly. Her hands unclasped from in front of her and one of them reached over to absentmindedly touch the brass compass on her desk. "We are driven into the bowels of the enemy more often than not. That isn't to say black panels aren't and that you wouldn't be—don't misunderstand me. But you would be doing much the same with less leniencies((this doesn't look like a real word lol))."
Molli gave Rio a small bump with her elbow, "If y'ken make things easier fer us, yeh should def'linitely join up," she said jokingly, though it wasn't difficult to get the impression that she was sincerely supporting the idea beneath the whimsy. "Smart as a whip, y'are; it'll prolly be easy t'get through whatever trainin' they'll putcha through."
"Our enemies don't show leniency." Said Rio as she touched her neck, the memories of being choked by mishhu tentacles as Sahty coming to mind. Molli's bump with her words and elbow helped Rio keep moving forward "If we are already doing similar work then I see no reason not to pursue becoming an operative. Especially if it can help keep those I care about safe."
"I for one would feel safer knowing one of our own looked over the operation," Sif chimed in, patting Rio on the back. "Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the majority of SAINT agents are good people, but the veil of shadows do prefer a certain type of outlook. O-or so I've read."
Hoshi's eyes flickered over to the painting on the wall above her captain's desk of the black panel as if she was wondering what her boyfriend would think of Sif's words. A contented smile spread on her face as she imagined his voice and her shoulders loosened.
The captain said, "I'll see about if our task force's SAINT chief will put in a good word alongside Aiko's, Rio-san. Your motives—to want to keep those you love safe and to make sure nothing is missed during our missions—those are the ones that tell me you will be one of the finest operatives the organization could have."
Hoshi went on, "Enough chiming in without some introspection for your own place, Ignemar-hei... " Hoshi rarely used the surnames of those crewmembers she was comfortable with and using Sif's while trying to sound pragmatic. But she deflated and casually used her given name. "Sif, I was saying how you're an intense warrior and always capable of holding the enemy's attention. If you don't have a specialization to go after in mind, then I actually think you're place as an infantry member is invaluable. But that further training into it would round out your abilities and push them over the edge and into new territory. Have you heard of the School for Advanced Infantry Combat?"
Nodding along as Hoshi spoke, Sif was taken aback by the sudden shift of attention towards her and a future prospect that she could undertake. "Advanced Infantry Combat..." she thought for a moment, trying to see if that had been discussed before.
"Now that you mention it... I believe one of my trainers mentioned wanting to undergo that training..." While she didn't take Hoshi's words lightly, Sif wondered if that was the right way to go for her, feeling like a weight had been put on her shoulders. Or would be, should she take up the challenge. "Well, I'm not... good at self-evaluation, but if you believe I have what it takes to step into the shoes of the elite, then on my honor as a member of this ship's crew, I will put my heart and soul into it and make you proud!"
It was Sif's turn to get an elbow in the side -- harder, considering Molli knew very well how tough her closest friend was. "Ah'm good at 'valuatin' you, en yer an idjit if y'think y'ent up fer it," she said dryly, "Yer as brave as th'princess, smart as Morgana, en y'd show th'trainers how t'fight wiv ah shield better'n they could. Prolly," Molli counted off her points on individual fingers. "Ah donnae doubt ya can do it."
Sif chuckled as a light flush of color appeared on her cheek. "Then I suppose that settles it then. If—no, when I go through that advanced training, I'm not coming back as a disappointment!"
"Anyone who thinks of you as a disappointment needs to have their eyes checked." quipped Rio as she leaned forward to give Sif a hearty smile "Molli is right. No doubts that you can clear it."
"In all the time I've known you, you've never disappointed. What's more is that you've already got the shoes of the elite on, so to speak. Just got to tighten the laces." Hoshi said. "I'm glad you're as into it as your crewmates are excited for you. I'll put in orders for you to slot in to the training schedule during the next time we have downtime between missions. I'm proud of you, Sif, for taking this next step. Both of you—Rio, too."
The dark blue eyes of the captain fell to the sole Nepleslian of the trio in front of her.
Hoshi looked at Molli for a long moment, then kept it vague as she asked, "Where do you see yourself going, Molls?"
Molli rubbed at the back of her neck, her mechanical eyes softly whirred in the quiet room, "Ehm..." she said, and the crimson light fell from Hoshi to the floor. "Dunno. Nuffin' tha' takes me offa th'ship, ah'm doin' fine as is, what do ah need t'improve?" Molli shrugged, having made her seeming apathy clear.
"Alright," Hoshi said, drawing out the middle vowel of the singular word as she did. She pivoted to look at Rio, then Sif. "Molli has been supportive of your choice and trajectories, exceedingly so. Let's give her a taste of her own medicine, eh? Where would you say you see her going from here?"
Sif put on a smug face, a hand on her chin as she leaned towards Molli with a sheepish grin. "What to pick, what to pick... There's just so much I could say! She excels on the front line. Her time in the mech was exceedingly impressive with the amount of speed she was able to withstand and control throughout the whole engagement. And not to mention, she has showed off excellent leadership potential in our mission in the caldera. I'm afraid a single career path won't be enough!" She laid it on thick, but behind the teasing, she meant every word.
"Well said," Hoshi said earnestly, making it sound like she didn't know that Sif was lining the truth with a bit of teasing.
Mirroring Sif, Rio gently leaned herself towards Molli "Sif's right you know? Every word. You're competent and capable." Rio said with a cheeky smile "Think of the training more like...getting new tools for your tool box."
"It may be time to clone you, Molls. Maybe one becomes a mecha pilot, another goes the command path. Which of the two would you choose to become?" Hoshi asked.
"Ah wanted t'be a mecha pilot 'fore ah signed up here," Molli said, as she fought the urge to shrink in her chair from so much praise. "Maybe ah ken try it again...? Wouldn' it take me offa th'ground wiv you all?" Concern, and a bit of fear, she didn't want that to happen, "Wanted t'do that when ah didn' know better, y'know...?"
"Command..." Molli scoffed and waited for the punchline, but when it didn't come, she looked incredulous, "S'cause ah had a smarter brain, y'know-- back there?" She referred to the Caldera mission, where she'd been sleeved into a Nekovalkyrja body, "Who'll take orders frommah mutie who talks weird?" Molli never considered herself a particularly smart woman, much less an articulate one; command training was a hard sell in her eyes.
At the same time, she couldn't turn down an option for career advancement; she'd get left behind otherwise, and more importantly, she'd be making less money that could get sent home to her father. "Could do what Sif's doin'. Get better at what ah'm already good at..." Molli said.
Hoshi said, "I've thought you would make a good leader since the first mission you joined us on. Sure, you lost an arm. But you were inspiring and were pretty single-minded when it came to coming up with ideas and executing them. Frankly, I'm going to start to look bad if I don't put you on a command path. I'll have no excuse for why you march to the beat of your own drum."
"It's not usually something that I prefer in an enlisted soldier. But in an officer, I'd love to see it." The captain added, "It's got to be your dream, too. You've got to believe in yourself as much as I—no, as much as we believe in you."
Rio fully leaned against Molli, her arms wrapped around her friend as she chimed in "We've trained, fought and bled together. You don't give yourself nearly enough credit for the things you do."
Sif nodded enthusiastically, adding, "Your out-of-the-box thinking does have a huge appeal. And I would follow your lead without question. Though I'm not going to lie, I also like the idea of you taking on advanced training with me."
The three nekovalkyrja might as well have been invisible for Molli's lack of reaction to their praise -- or their physicality, in Rio's case. The Nepleslian's metal eyes, bright with artificial light, dimmed until her irises were pitch black. She'd manually disabled her optics, and from her intense look of concentration, the three could tell that this was a suggestion she'd have to consider with the utmost care, to the point of shutting out visual distractions altogether.
Someone like her commanding troops, what could Molli possibly say to a suggestion like that? She certainly didn't want to take that path -- keeping track of herself was always an ordeal, even moreso when Sif and Rio were on the fight. But Hoshi was intent on pushing her down it, and the last thing Molli wanted to do was besmirch the name of her beloved captain.
When her eyes opened, they were glowing as normal. "If y'insist..." Molli forced a smile and tried to look happy, "Ah'll do it."
For a singular moment, the captain looked crestfallen. Hey expression almost mirrored Molli's own seconds before the facadal smile had been bolstered up.
"In a year I'll ask again." Hoshi said as she pushed her hands against her desk and moved out from behind it. She took extra care in the motion as she came around from the other side of it. Hoshi's face slowly regained its happier demeanor as she moved—not all at once like Molli's had. She looked up to the Nepleslian and nodded assuredly as she clasped a hand on her shoulder.
"I want you to be as excited about your future as I am, Molls. That doesn't happen when you're pushed where you don't want to go, not at all," Hoshi said as her hand went behind Molli's back and tucked in to be shoulder to shoulder with her. "You'll make me proud no matter what action or inaction you choose. You all will and all have! Trust me. Molls and I have a lot of congratulations and support to give you two, Sif and Rio, when you're done with your respective training!"
Supportive words imparted with a kind smile, but Molli hadn't missed that look of disappointment. A sinking feeling washed over her, like she'd sped past an exit she should've taken. Only there was no U-turn, no alternative route to the destination, no going back. She wanted to press back just as hard, wanted to argue that she'd just felt a case of momentary doubt. But that would've been improper.
"Unnerstood," she said politely. One year of waiting, one year behind her contemporaries. The price of hesitation and doubt, she supposed.
"You said you could do what Sif's doing at the infantry school, too," Hoshi offered. She had held onto Molli's shoulder and the doubt was impossible to ignore for the captain. "Or mech piloting, after all. I don't want to see you idle unless you want to be."
The doubt from Molli didn't go by Sif unnoticed either, but she was unsure how to go about it. However, with Hoshi offering up two paths that didn't involve taking the reins, found her moment to chime in again. "And if you're having trouble choosing between those two, you could always flip a coin for it."
Sensible suggestions, both; although Molli wasn't keen to flip a coin for her future. Training beside Sif had great appeal, and it seemed like the proper alternative to her argued-against ambition, itself a reaction to doubt. "Ah'll letcha know," she said to Hoshi.
"That's better than nothing." The captain squinted in delight. Her arms flung to encapsulate not just Molli, but Sif and Rio too. "I've arranged for the chef to have made something celebratory made. Let's go eat and talk about things a little less daunting than our futures and career paths and the like. Shall we?"
"That sounds like a fine idea after so much serious talk." Rio chimed in.
"Something special?" Sif echoed, smiling at the embrace. "I won't say no to that!" Though the focus was now on culinary delights, Sif was still concerned for Molli. She was no stranger to the kind of doubt that often plagued thoughts of the future, but at the same time, she knew her approach of being bamboo swaying in the wind wasn't likely to work the same for Molli.
Everyone had their own way of choosing, and too much outside pressure could hinder the process. So Sif decided to stand by and try to feel out the situation, see if Molli just needed a push, or an anchor. Either way, she was ready to provide both.
Captain's Quarters
25日1月YE 47
The captain quarters of the YSS Kaiyō II had an entrance at the back of the bridge. So, the three members of infantry that had been called to her office passed through an often unseen-to-them section of the ship to reach Hoshi. The away team had recently been on Nepleslia and before the first shore leave of the year commenced, Hoshi had wanted to speak to them about their careers. The premise for the meeting was not overstated, but did carry some weight.
And, so, as she waited for their arrivals, Hoshi set about touching up her personal effects. Leveling the oil portrait of the dark-haired broody SAINT operative above her desk, polishing a smudge on her brass nautical compass, and angled the anatomical statue so that it faced her guests instead of herself. All this was happening while one of the ships many Jane robots made her bed in the room behind her.
It'd been some time since Molli was called to meet with the captain, and her memories of those experiences were a mixed bag. Between calming outer space excursions to the hull of the Kaiyo, to arguing in vain for a less violent way to end the war, Molli couldn't anticipate what kind of experience she'd have in Hoshi's quarters this time. At the very least, having Sif and Rio accompany her was a change of pace and a sieve for the nerves. She walked with them in her off-duty best: the dress jacket, skirt, and tights she'd freshly laundered the other day for such an occasion.
There had been only a scant few days since the mission on Nepleslia and Rio had repeatedly gone over the entire wild ride since. Ultimately she felt she could have performed better during the mission. When she received a summons to the captain's quarters regarding her career Rio couldn't help but wonder if it was in regards to her self-perceived poor performance. Alongside Molli and Sif as the trio made their way to the meeting, Rio repeatedly checked her uniform, trying to sooth the pit that had formed in her stomach.
For Sif, being called to meet with Hoshi was a cause of mild anxiety. Often times, at least from what she's read, that almost always meant trouble. Was her performance not satisfactory? Maybe she'd done something that would have caused a 'black mark' on her record? Whatever the case may have been, the presence of Molli and Rio did have a calming effect as they walked to Hoshi's office. Like most days on the ship, Sif wore her Type 30C turtleneck, paired with pants instead of the skirt and tights combo. It was a comfortable outfit despite being a uniform.
"Afternoon," Hoshi said to the three after she had stood. "All of you look nice–presentable. Which leads into why I asked you here, honestly."
"You're all fine examples of Star Army soldiers, truly. You've been in it for a year or two years," she looked from Rio to Sif to Molli. "I've never seen a better bunch walking the halls of my ships. I've been a white panel on Plumeria, Sharie, and special op teams, girls. I'm serious when I give you that compliment. I appreciate that you've been exceptional in ways words could never do justice."
She then added with a continued weight to her tone, "You've exceeded not only my expectations, but your panels. You may choose to keep cornflower blue panels, sure. Infantry is a fine place for many, but I see potential in all of you for more. What career paths beyond infantry have you individually considered?"
"I've... never really thought about it," Sif answered after a slightly long exhale from a breath she unknowingly held. She went through her memories, having been taught by a senior when she was still in training on what the panel colors mean on someone's uniform. "I don't really see myself doing anything else. And for sure you wouldn't want me to be a combat medic if you've seen my training evaluations." She gave an embarrassed chuckle at what she had just admitted.
"Sif-san," Hoshi said, "you're one of our bravest fighters. A true-to-life valkyrie warrior that can tank any enemy, capturing their attention no matter the circumstances. That ought to be highlighted somehow rather than diminished."
"Prolly aced th'get close'n smack fools wiv ah shield 'valueayshon," Molli chimed in, chortling. Her demeanor loosened up significantly after Hoshi's glowing evaluation, but her smile was thin, measured, and her eyes wandered more to Sif and Rio than the captain who expected an answer. "Could prolly put Rio'n th'whatever trainin' Sif took. Get..." Molli bumped her fists together, "...two shieldmaidens."
"I-I don't think I would be well suited for that." Rio remarked while glancing over at Molli. The pit in her stomach had mostly vanished, Rio feeling a little more sure of herself after now that her fears of poor performance had been dashed by Hoshi's praise. Quickly thinking back on her nearly full year onboard the Kaiyō, Rio realized it had mostly been a series of infiltration operations. "Actually. If possible Taisa I would like to pursue a career in Star Army Intelligence."
"That...That could be just right for you," Hoshi said deliberately. Then in a quicker clip, she asked, "Is this inspired by any specific mission?" There had been a few undercover missions as of late and the ship often was a part of aforementioned secret operations.
"Our mission a few days ago on Nepleslia. We accomplished our objective but Aiko-Chusa was poisoned and the entire thing felt like a setup. I...feel like something was missed." Rio said sternly. The mission had clearly been sitting on her mind.
"Ah ken see ya as ah spy. Yer blue, so y'blend in ta'th'night, so noone ken see ya," said Molli, nodding at what she perceived as impeccable logic.
"Intelligence, huh?" Sif hummed to herself, hand drawn to her chin as she recalled what she knew of that career path, which was admittedly lacking. "That means you'd get to do the interrogations and likely be the first one in to scope out our mission areas, right? Planting seeds and manipulating the cogs to tip the scales to our favor! That would be so cool! You'd get first dibs on top-secret gadgets too!"
Rio couldn't help but crack a smile hearing Molli and Sif's words. "I suppose that's all probably true. Like in the NMX base. Faelan-Shoi and the operative that assisted us. I'm sure there is much more to it though." she mused.
"It sounds like what you're describing, Rio-san, is what an analyst would do. Looking at the mission specifics and seeing the unknowns within it. More precisely, interpreting the data presented by those that found it and coming to conclusions. Or do you not have a preference between analyst and operative?" Hoshi asked. "I will be honest, what you cornflower panels on the Kaiyo is not highly different from what happens on many black panel missions. But you don't have bombs in your brains. There is a reason you were the NMX Neko Sahty Rynire, not a SAINT operative."
With a furrowed brow Rio thought over Hoshi's words carefully before giving her a quizzical look. Having a bomb in her head was one thing, but she understood death could easily happen in service. Her experience in the NMX base burned that fact into her mind. What bothered her was what the Taisa had said last. A thought that had not occurred to her "Th-there was?"
"Was it the lack of bombs in our brains?" Sif asked, half jokingly. "That's something no one's told me before. I'd say it's a bit extreme, but with how STs work, it probably wouldn't be too hard to copy brain data if you got the tools..."
"Because you're on the Kaiyo, you got that mission." Hoshi said succinctly. Her hands unclasped from in front of her and one of them reached over to absentmindedly touch the brass compass on her desk. "We are driven into the bowels of the enemy more often than not. That isn't to say black panels aren't and that you wouldn't be—don't misunderstand me. But you would be doing much the same with less leniencies((this doesn't look like a real word lol))."
Molli gave Rio a small bump with her elbow, "If y'ken make things easier fer us, yeh should def'linitely join up," she said jokingly, though it wasn't difficult to get the impression that she was sincerely supporting the idea beneath the whimsy. "Smart as a whip, y'are; it'll prolly be easy t'get through whatever trainin' they'll putcha through."
"Our enemies don't show leniency." Said Rio as she touched her neck, the memories of being choked by mishhu tentacles as Sahty coming to mind. Molli's bump with her words and elbow helped Rio keep moving forward "If we are already doing similar work then I see no reason not to pursue becoming an operative. Especially if it can help keep those I care about safe."
"I for one would feel safer knowing one of our own looked over the operation," Sif chimed in, patting Rio on the back. "Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the majority of SAINT agents are good people, but the veil of shadows do prefer a certain type of outlook. O-or so I've read."
Hoshi's eyes flickered over to the painting on the wall above her captain's desk of the black panel as if she was wondering what her boyfriend would think of Sif's words. A contented smile spread on her face as she imagined his voice and her shoulders loosened.
The captain said, "I'll see about if our task force's SAINT chief will put in a good word alongside Aiko's, Rio-san. Your motives—to want to keep those you love safe and to make sure nothing is missed during our missions—those are the ones that tell me you will be one of the finest operatives the organization could have."
Hoshi went on, "Enough chiming in without some introspection for your own place, Ignemar-hei... " Hoshi rarely used the surnames of those crewmembers she was comfortable with and using Sif's while trying to sound pragmatic. But she deflated and casually used her given name. "Sif, I was saying how you're an intense warrior and always capable of holding the enemy's attention. If you don't have a specialization to go after in mind, then I actually think you're place as an infantry member is invaluable. But that further training into it would round out your abilities and push them over the edge and into new territory. Have you heard of the School for Advanced Infantry Combat?"
Nodding along as Hoshi spoke, Sif was taken aback by the sudden shift of attention towards her and a future prospect that she could undertake. "Advanced Infantry Combat..." she thought for a moment, trying to see if that had been discussed before.
"Now that you mention it... I believe one of my trainers mentioned wanting to undergo that training..." While she didn't take Hoshi's words lightly, Sif wondered if that was the right way to go for her, feeling like a weight had been put on her shoulders. Or would be, should she take up the challenge. "Well, I'm not... good at self-evaluation, but if you believe I have what it takes to step into the shoes of the elite, then on my honor as a member of this ship's crew, I will put my heart and soul into it and make you proud!"
It was Sif's turn to get an elbow in the side -- harder, considering Molli knew very well how tough her closest friend was. "Ah'm good at 'valuatin' you, en yer an idjit if y'think y'ent up fer it," she said dryly, "Yer as brave as th'princess, smart as Morgana, en y'd show th'trainers how t'fight wiv ah shield better'n they could. Prolly," Molli counted off her points on individual fingers. "Ah donnae doubt ya can do it."
Sif chuckled as a light flush of color appeared on her cheek. "Then I suppose that settles it then. If—no, when I go through that advanced training, I'm not coming back as a disappointment!"
"Anyone who thinks of you as a disappointment needs to have their eyes checked." quipped Rio as she leaned forward to give Sif a hearty smile "Molli is right. No doubts that you can clear it."
"In all the time I've known you, you've never disappointed. What's more is that you've already got the shoes of the elite on, so to speak. Just got to tighten the laces." Hoshi said. "I'm glad you're as into it as your crewmates are excited for you. I'll put in orders for you to slot in to the training schedule during the next time we have downtime between missions. I'm proud of you, Sif, for taking this next step. Both of you—Rio, too."
The dark blue eyes of the captain fell to the sole Nepleslian of the trio in front of her.
Hoshi looked at Molli for a long moment, then kept it vague as she asked, "Where do you see yourself going, Molls?"
Molli rubbed at the back of her neck, her mechanical eyes softly whirred in the quiet room, "Ehm..." she said, and the crimson light fell from Hoshi to the floor. "Dunno. Nuffin' tha' takes me offa th'ship, ah'm doin' fine as is, what do ah need t'improve?" Molli shrugged, having made her seeming apathy clear.
"Alright," Hoshi said, drawing out the middle vowel of the singular word as she did. She pivoted to look at Rio, then Sif. "Molli has been supportive of your choice and trajectories, exceedingly so. Let's give her a taste of her own medicine, eh? Where would you say you see her going from here?"
Sif put on a smug face, a hand on her chin as she leaned towards Molli with a sheepish grin. "What to pick, what to pick... There's just so much I could say! She excels on the front line. Her time in the mech was exceedingly impressive with the amount of speed she was able to withstand and control throughout the whole engagement. And not to mention, she has showed off excellent leadership potential in our mission in the caldera. I'm afraid a single career path won't be enough!" She laid it on thick, but behind the teasing, she meant every word.
"Well said," Hoshi said earnestly, making it sound like she didn't know that Sif was lining the truth with a bit of teasing.
Mirroring Sif, Rio gently leaned herself towards Molli "Sif's right you know? Every word. You're competent and capable." Rio said with a cheeky smile "Think of the training more like...getting new tools for your tool box."
"It may be time to clone you, Molls. Maybe one becomes a mecha pilot, another goes the command path. Which of the two would you choose to become?" Hoshi asked.
"Ah wanted t'be a mecha pilot 'fore ah signed up here," Molli said, as she fought the urge to shrink in her chair from so much praise. "Maybe ah ken try it again...? Wouldn' it take me offa th'ground wiv you all?" Concern, and a bit of fear, she didn't want that to happen, "Wanted t'do that when ah didn' know better, y'know...?"
"Command..." Molli scoffed and waited for the punchline, but when it didn't come, she looked incredulous, "S'cause ah had a smarter brain, y'know-- back there?" She referred to the Caldera mission, where she'd been sleeved into a Nekovalkyrja body, "Who'll take orders frommah mutie who talks weird?" Molli never considered herself a particularly smart woman, much less an articulate one; command training was a hard sell in her eyes.
At the same time, she couldn't turn down an option for career advancement; she'd get left behind otherwise, and more importantly, she'd be making less money that could get sent home to her father. "Could do what Sif's doin'. Get better at what ah'm already good at..." Molli said.
Hoshi said, "I've thought you would make a good leader since the first mission you joined us on. Sure, you lost an arm. But you were inspiring and were pretty single-minded when it came to coming up with ideas and executing them. Frankly, I'm going to start to look bad if I don't put you on a command path. I'll have no excuse for why you march to the beat of your own drum."
"It's not usually something that I prefer in an enlisted soldier. But in an officer, I'd love to see it." The captain added, "It's got to be your dream, too. You've got to believe in yourself as much as I—no, as much as we believe in you."
Rio fully leaned against Molli, her arms wrapped around her friend as she chimed in "We've trained, fought and bled together. You don't give yourself nearly enough credit for the things you do."
Sif nodded enthusiastically, adding, "Your out-of-the-box thinking does have a huge appeal. And I would follow your lead without question. Though I'm not going to lie, I also like the idea of you taking on advanced training with me."
The three nekovalkyrja might as well have been invisible for Molli's lack of reaction to their praise -- or their physicality, in Rio's case. The Nepleslian's metal eyes, bright with artificial light, dimmed until her irises were pitch black. She'd manually disabled her optics, and from her intense look of concentration, the three could tell that this was a suggestion she'd have to consider with the utmost care, to the point of shutting out visual distractions altogether.
Someone like her commanding troops, what could Molli possibly say to a suggestion like that? She certainly didn't want to take that path -- keeping track of herself was always an ordeal, even moreso when Sif and Rio were on the fight. But Hoshi was intent on pushing her down it, and the last thing Molli wanted to do was besmirch the name of her beloved captain.
When her eyes opened, they were glowing as normal. "If y'insist..." Molli forced a smile and tried to look happy, "Ah'll do it."
For a singular moment, the captain looked crestfallen. Hey expression almost mirrored Molli's own seconds before the facadal smile had been bolstered up.
"In a year I'll ask again." Hoshi said as she pushed her hands against her desk and moved out from behind it. She took extra care in the motion as she came around from the other side of it. Hoshi's face slowly regained its happier demeanor as she moved—not all at once like Molli's had. She looked up to the Nepleslian and nodded assuredly as she clasped a hand on her shoulder.
"I want you to be as excited about your future as I am, Molls. That doesn't happen when you're pushed where you don't want to go, not at all," Hoshi said as her hand went behind Molli's back and tucked in to be shoulder to shoulder with her. "You'll make me proud no matter what action or inaction you choose. You all will and all have! Trust me. Molls and I have a lot of congratulations and support to give you two, Sif and Rio, when you're done with your respective training!"
Supportive words imparted with a kind smile, but Molli hadn't missed that look of disappointment. A sinking feeling washed over her, like she'd sped past an exit she should've taken. Only there was no U-turn, no alternative route to the destination, no going back. She wanted to press back just as hard, wanted to argue that she'd just felt a case of momentary doubt. But that would've been improper.
"Unnerstood," she said politely. One year of waiting, one year behind her contemporaries. The price of hesitation and doubt, she supposed.
"You said you could do what Sif's doing at the infantry school, too," Hoshi offered. She had held onto Molli's shoulder and the doubt was impossible to ignore for the captain. "Or mech piloting, after all. I don't want to see you idle unless you want to be."
The doubt from Molli didn't go by Sif unnoticed either, but she was unsure how to go about it. However, with Hoshi offering up two paths that didn't involve taking the reins, found her moment to chime in again. "And if you're having trouble choosing between those two, you could always flip a coin for it."
Sensible suggestions, both; although Molli wasn't keen to flip a coin for her future. Training beside Sif had great appeal, and it seemed like the proper alternative to her argued-against ambition, itself a reaction to doubt. "Ah'll letcha know," she said to Hoshi.
"That's better than nothing." The captain squinted in delight. Her arms flung to encapsulate not just Molli, but Sif and Rio too. "I've arranged for the chef to have made something celebratory made. Let's go eat and talk about things a little less daunting than our futures and career paths and the like. Shall we?"
"That sounds like a fine idea after so much serious talk." Rio chimed in.
"Something special?" Sif echoed, smiling at the embrace. "I won't say no to that!" Though the focus was now on culinary delights, Sif was still concerned for Molli. She was no stranger to the kind of doubt that often plagued thoughts of the future, but at the same time, she knew her approach of being bamboo swaying in the wind wasn't likely to work the same for Molli.
Everyone had their own way of choosing, and too much outside pressure could hinder the process. So Sif decided to stand by and try to feel out the situation, see if Molli just needed a push, or an anchor. Either way, she was ready to provide both.